A Family Portrait - Sunday Strays

I've just called this stray photograph "A Family Portrait". No names, no information at all with it.

This could have been a special occasion or perhaps a Sunday - all are tidied up and the little girl is outfitted nicely. Love her hair bows and her pinafore. (Never liked bows in my own hair.)

This could have been taken by an itinerant photographer. The backdrop seems to be hung on the corner of a room?

I post these as there's always a chance that someone someday will recognize one of those photographed. Or even that the backdrop will be recognized from another photograph.

Sunday Strays and Surnames - Zanesville, Ohio, USA - Wilson, Derwacter

A bit early, I'm posting another of my stray photos.


p This time my stray is from Cumberland, Ohio, USA. The photographer was C.E. Wortman, Artist.

She is identified on the back in pencil as Ella Wilson Derwacter. 

I believe I've found information about her - if so, she died in Zanesville, Ohio in 1939, aged 72 and her maiden name was Wilson. Her middle initial was "M".

Love her sleeves and the detail (beaded? buttons?) and the tucks on her dress and collar. And it looks as if there is a similar pin in her hair.

At the same time as I picked up this photograph in Seattle, I bought another from Zanesville, of a woman identified, again in pencil on the back, as Lida Pitty Johnson. There could be a relationship so I will post her photograph later in the week. See Lida's photograph here, published 6 May 2019.

If you know more about Ella Wilson Derwacter (or the photographer), please do be in touch either in a comment or by e-mail.

My Stray Photographs - Re-examined

Why Stray Photographs?

From time to time, I publish images from my collection of  'stray' photographs. These I've picked up at sales or in charity shops. They have no known connection to my families. Often I use these in my workshops on researching photographs.

I also collect postcards, mostly from British Columbia, Canada, or from places my families lived so these may be listed here too.

A few of these are family photographs of friends and neighbours.

Sometimes I've been able to include a few details about the people shown or the photographer; others are still unknown.

I've started this list on-line as I hope that will make it easier for readers to find a loved one. I have posted photos to other websites, like DeadFred (one of my favourite places) and when I can, I'll post links to those too.

Follow the links to see the photographs and learn what I do know about them. 

Please do let me know if you can identify anyone here or if you see new clues. 

I'd love to hear their stories!

My Stray Photographs - listed alphabetically by surname, if known

Grace Adams - Shopping in Victoria, British Columbia, Canada.

Ted Bowton - London to Saskatchewan, Canada? Wife Emily.

Bernice Chamberland and Merse Ferley - engagement, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada.

Emile Cheramy - not a photograph, but an artifact from his store, Cheramy's Shoe Store & Repairs, Maillardville, Coquitlam, British Columbia.

Polly and Walter Cooper, Mike Cooper, Betty Cooper [Mrs. Lorents Widing]. - Seattle, Washington, USA, 1949.

Ella Wilson Derwacter - Zanesville, Ohio, USA  See also Lida Petty Johnson (?)

L. Doull - Garvin, Saskatchewan, Canada, 1911. Postcard mailed to: Miss Gertrude Walker, Earl Grey, Saskatchewan.

Audrey Downes - Honly, West Yorkshire, 1932. Photograph is at DeadFred.com

Yvonne Durnell and Alexander Soppet - married Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada, 24 August, 1940.

Sally Herbert - in Weston Super Mare, Somerset. Photographer, Sydney Smyth (or possibly Henry Smyth, his son).

Lida Petty Johnson (?) - Zanesville, Ohio, USA  See also Ella Wilson Derwacter.

Klaseus, Klucas family photographs - names include Myrtle Klaseus from Viscount, Saskatchewan, Canada. And Alfred, Richard and Minnie Klucas. Arthur ANDERSIN of Viscount. And Margaret Anderson of Hillsboro [Kansas, U.S.A.?]. See also this Klucas Update for more information.

Joyce? Shand, Mrs James Shand, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada, August 1940. (see Durnell & Soppet)

Enid Sheppard, of Vancouver at Prince Rupert, BC, post WW II.

Marjorie Taylor, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada, August 1940. (see Durnell & Soppet)

Ethel Yates - Nanaimo, British Columbia, Canada. Photograph is at DeadFred.com

Miss M. Young - Kinloch Cottage, Lochranza, Arran, Scotland

Elsa Bank(s) and Hilda, sent to Eric Engdohl in Brandon, Manitoba, Canada, 1904.
Possibly from Fleming in Saskatchewan, Canada. Swedish families?

My Stray Photographs - no surnames known (yet)

 "Aunt Maggie", Rosebank, Birsa, Orkney, Scotland

Billie - Clear Lake, Manitoba, Canada, possibly 1919?

Family Portrait with the dog - sadly, almost no information.

Boys at the Marchmont home, Belleville, Ontario, Canada - from Miss MacPherson's home, April 1922. Canadian Home Children.

Unknown woman - photograph by Le Rue Lemer (LeRue Studio), Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, USA.

Don't forget to contact me if you have new information about any of these.